05 March,2010 09:04 AM IST | | Pathikrit Sen Gupta
The heart of Delhi is getting a surgery. The costs incurred would suggest super-specialty treatment, but have a look around Connaught Place today, and it would appear that a quack is at the helm of affairs. The spectacle makes it hard to digest the fact that the place is being restored. I mean Genghis Khan would have been proud at the sight of the obliteration and he was Chinese (well, Mongolian).
On the brighter side, if you are an adventure lover, then CP is an absolute paradise. There are ample opportunities of getting run over, breaking a leg or two, spraining your ankle or your neck (take your pick, no extra charges), exploring hidden depths etc, etc. On numerous occasions, you encounter an open gutter staring at you invitingly, with a puddle of mud placed helpfully right next to it. The floors along certain passageways are so slippery that you might be lured into doing the splits, but in case you are out of practice, I wouldn't recommend it. It's also the one place these days where having a roof over one's head doesn't come across as a privilege; one feels safer under the open sky. Looped-up wires hang suggestively in front of your face; if you are in manic depression, you might be tempted to take the hint (I have had my moments).
Apart from all this, CP these days is an absolute maze. During many of my last few visits, I have found myself a few metres away from my favourite apparels store, or my preferred eatery. But a few steps along a treacherous route take me to a completely alien territory and I start wondering whether a GPS is really such a useless device. I quickly retrace my steps and try another route, only to find myself in more unfamiliar territory. I look around and catch a glimpse of my favourite joint a few metres away. But by then I am convinced that it's just a mirage and there are some mystical forces at work; I am only too pleased to get out of there alive.
I know the intentions of the government are noble; if only they were better executed! Hopefully the chaos will be over soon and CP will reclaim its glorious past. It is my favourite place; I come here whether I am happy or sad; the place never disappoints me. CP is a symbol of India's burgeoning economy and of the circle of life. You come here empty-handed (albeit with a little something in your pocket) and you will go home bearing gifts. So, let the heart beat again with the rhythm of hope and optimism. Amen!
Pathikrit Sen Gupta is Senior Sub Editor, MiD DAY Delhi
